Ch-Ch-Ch-Chia!

These seeds do more than just sprout green hair

Valerie Foster/HealthyLife

Published 11:02 am, Tuesday, July 5, 2011

Photo by Carin Lane/HealthyLife
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Photo by Carin Lane/HealthyLife

Chia Pet seeds are not for human consumption, but the company will be launching a new product of chia dietary supplements this summer. (Chia Pet image is a registered trademark worldwide by Joseph Enterprises, Inc.)

Chia Pets turn the big three-O next year, not bad for a terra cotta novelty that sprouts green hair. But while its creator, Joseph Enterprises, has been laughing all the way to the bank, we should have been paying more attention to the chia seeds that make that hair grow. If you believe the experts, there's some real magic going on. Chia seeds not only pack a nutritional wallop; some say they keep you hydrated and energized, reduce food cravings, stop aging, and may reduce blood pressure and control blood sugar.

Are chia seeds the fountain of youth or just another food fad? Only time will answer that debate, but what we do know is that chia has been around for centuries. According to natural health and wellness guru Dr. Andrew Weil, Aztec warriors lived on one tablespoon of chia seeds a day. The culture used chia medicinally to stimulate saliva flow and relieve joint pain and sore skin. In Mayan times, chia was one of the four important crops, along with corn, beans and amaranth. Chia was a major crop in central Mexico dating back to 900 B.C., but after the Spanish conquest in the 1500s, it was banned because of its close association with the Aztec religion, which was considered pagan. Chia was also a staple in the diet of the American Southwest Indians.

So why are we just catching on? Two years ago, Christopher McDougall wrote Born to Run, which has become compulsory reading for dedicated runners. McDougall studied the Tarahumara Indians of Mexico's Copper Canyons, a tribe that is immune to our modern-day diseases and stress and whose members can run hundreds of miles barefoot without rest. They exist on a diet of pinto beans, squash, chili peppers, wild greens, pinole (ground toasted acorn kernels) -- and lots of chia.

Then television's super doctors started to weigh in:

On his TV show, Dr. Mehmet Oz gave three reasons why everyone should incorporate 15 grams -- about 1 tablespoon -- of chia seeds into their daily diets: super omega-3 fatty acids, high antioxidant values and lots of fiber. He also mentioned chia seeds on Oprah -- and we all know what happens after that.

Dr. Weil suggests on his website that we perform a test: Add a tablespoon of chia seeds to a glass of water and let the mixture set about 30 minutes to form a gel. This is exactly what happens in your stomach when you consume easily digested chia seeds, he says. The result: The process by which digestive enzymes break down carbohydrates and convert them into sugar is slowed, providing energy for longer. Chia seeds also fill you up, so you'll eat less.

The Doctors TV show added its two cents 2011 with a list of the 52 foods everyone should be eating for optimum health; chia was included. The doctors claim it slows aging, is a super antioxidant, is good for your skin, and helps fight wrinkles.

And there's more:

The Nutrition Science Research Institute, a nonprofit committed to providing education about proper use of nutritional supplements, touts chia as a low-calorie source of omega-3 fatty acids, dietary fiber, antioxidants, a complete protein, and an excellent source of iron, calcium and magnesium. But since much chia production is for the Chia plants and feed consumption, the NSRI says it's wise to know the source of the chia seeds and to buy organic chia when available.

And finally, the magazine Diabetes Care reported a Canadian study that discovered about 36 grams of Salba, a white-seeded variant of chia, helped diabetics control blood sugar and blood pressure.

Runner Justin Bishop of Colonie first tried chia seeds four months ago, before he ran a winter marathon. "I put a handful in my mouth, and they were sort of slimy and gross," Bishop says. "So I washed them down with water. Forty-five minutes later, I started jumping up and down, and felt this energy rush. And I wasn't scheduled to run for another 45 minutes."

Since then, the 30-year-old times chia consumption to race times and workouts, and now adds chia to his favorite low-sugar energy drink. "Chia gives me a very surreal feeling. I find myself effortlessly putting in times, as if I am floating on air. I don't know what the magic ingredient is, but they work for me."

Laura Clark of Saratoga Springs agrees. She learned about chia from Born to Run and was taking it religiously before her long runs and races last year. And we do mean long runs. Clark, at 64, runs 50-mile races and often trains at distances most of us consider a long drive. She likens chia to the sugary gels long-distance runners often use for energy during races. "Both the gels and the chia make you feel like the Energizer bunny," she says. Although Clark doesn't tolerate the gels very well, she finds chia works wonders and simply eats some seeds on her car ride to a race. Unlike Bishop, she finds this works best for her.

In his book, McDougall talks about a gel drink used by members of the Tarahumara tribe before every run. A Chia Fresca, McDougall outlines, is a tablespoon of chia seeds, 8 ounces of purified water, the juice of one lime or lemon and agave, honey or stevia to sweeten; this is then allowed to set for 15 minutes.

Marta Goldman, the education coordinator at the Honest Weight Food Co-Op in Albany, cites chia's nutritional value as reason enough to incorporate it into your diet. But her main reason for favoring the seeds is all about hydration.

"None of us drink enough water," Goldman says. "Many of us think we do, but we're probably dehydrated most of the time. Chia seeds absorb water, and this combination keeps the moisture in our systems longer, which keeps our bodies naturally hydrated."

She suggests that the summer months are the perfect time to consider adding chia seeds to our diets. "In warmer weather, it is more important than ever to keep your body hydrated," she says. "Water is so important for flushing the toxins from our bodies, and to keep everything running smoothly. We have all seen food fads come and go, but in the case of chia, as more people discover its benefits, I think this will be one fad that will stick around for a long time."

CHIA RECIPES

Although some say chia seeds have a nutty quality, they are so small the taste is negligible, especially if added only to water. Marta Goldman, education coordinator at the Honest Weight Food Co-Op in Albany, suggests adding chia seeds to chocolate almond milk or a fruit smoothie, or to sprinkle them on cereals or salads.

You can also grind the seeds into flour, or buy the already-packaged chia flour now making its way onto grocery shelves. In recipes, Goldman says chia flour substitutes equally for regular flour. Chia is also gluten-free, a plus for those who are wheat intolerant.

The following recipes have been tried and tested by Goldman, who promises that they are full of flavor. They just might get you singing ch-ch-ch-chia, but for entirely different reasons.

Raw Soaked Oats and Chia Seeds with Almond Milk

(2 servings)

ingredients

1 cup thick rolled oats

1 cup almond milk, plus more for serving

1 1/2 tablespoons chia seeds

Pinch cinnamon

Blueberries, raspberries and strawberries

Ground flax seeds and wheat germ, to serve

method

Rinse oats and place in a wide-mouth jar or bowl. Pour in almond milk. Add chia seeds and cinnamon. Stir, cover and refrigerate overnight.

In the morning remove from fridge; allow mixture come to room temperature. Sprinkle with berries, ground flax and wheat germ, and drizzle with a little extra almond milk.

-- Source: coconutandquinoa.wordpress.com

Chia Chai Pudding

(1 serving)

ingredients

1 ounce (about 1/4 cup) cashews

2 tablespoons chia seeds

3/4 cup water (add more if you want the pudding thinner)

2 pitted dates, or stevia to taste

1/4 teaspoon cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon garam masala

1/2 teaspoon sunflower lecithin or xantham gum (optional, but lends a nice fluffiness to the pudding)

method

Mix all ingredients. Allow to set at room temperature about 30 minutes.

-- Source: ChoosingRaw.com

Chocolate Ooey Gooie

ingredients

4 squares, unsweetened chocolate

3/4 cup butter

3 eggs

2 cups sugar

1 cup chia flour

1/4 cup walnuts marinated in brandy (or not if you prefer alcohol free)

1 tablespoon butter

Additional butter for greasing pan

Confectioner's sugar or chocolate bits

method

Melt unsweetened chocolate and butter in bowl in microwave on medium for two minutes. Stir until chocolate completely melts. Then add eggs and beat well. Stir in sugar and flour until well blended. Gently blend in walnuts.

Spread in greased 8-inch square pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 20 minutes. A toothpick inserted in the center will come out a little wet -- that's perfect. Let cool, then cut into squares and sprinkle with confectioners' sugar or chocolate bits.